Exit Wounds | Noah Sebastian

E I G H T E E N

"For what?"

"You know," he emphasizes.

"No, sorry."

"I'm sorry for being absent, Delaney, you make me feel things I don't know how to deal with."

"How about we start over? No more cheesy dates, just you and me. We will see where things lead us," I suggest, turning to look at him.

Noah's mouth lifts to a smirk and leans across my center console to cup my face to bring our lips together. He's tender with his movements, and I know I'm breakable in his hands.

There's no one I'd rather have break me.

When we get home I wave at him and head to my apartment.

"Hey!" He shouts after me, I turn and look at him, "wanna watch the new murder documentary on Netflix?"

I grin wildly and him and nod my head vigorously. Then I remember we've been around dirty and wet dogs all day.

"Maybe after a shower?"

"Yours or mine?" Noah asks with a wink.

"Nice try, I'll see you in 15."

I tell him nice try, but I scrub my body, shave it completely, and drown myself in lotion. Just in case.

I slip Noah's hoodie, that I haven't given back, and yoga shorts on before heading up stairs.

Noah is only wearing joggers when he opens the door for me, anticipating my arrival. My eyes roam over the tattoos littering his torso. Before I can catch my hand my index finger draws the outline of the dead couple covering his chest. Noah's eyes almost roll back into his head as he watches me carefully. Noah clears his throat finally and I yank my hand back.

I walk by him and sink into the couch, Noah looks over his shoulder at me and shakes his head. He sits beside me, turns the documentary on, and wraps an arm around me to pull me closer.

I wrap my arms around him and he hisses as my hands touch his naked torso. "Why are your hands so cold?"

I shrug at him as best I can snuggled into him, "poor circulation."

He chuckles at me and we fall silent as we are pulled into the show. Noah's warm breath tickles my neck as he breathes against me.

"This is bullshit, those cops are taking advantage of that man," I quip once it's over. It's been five straight hours of this.

"What about all of the departments that won't open the cases again to get them solved?" Noah counters with his silvery voice.

"What kind of world do we live in that it's more important to look right than to actually be right? What happened to the truth?"

"Human nature, people don't know how to admit when they are wrong."

I look up at him, I had pushed away from him when I started talking to look at him, but now I was seeing him in a different way. I wanted Noah, really wanted him, but I wasn't sure I was ready to go there with him.

"I- uh, I need to get to bed," I tell him.

"Stay with me," Noah had moved closer, and I had moved away, but he was almost pinning me to the couch.

"I- I," I wanted to say I can't, but couldn't quite find my resolve to say no.

"I,I?" He questions, one sexy eyebrow raised as he fully pinned me down with his hips, his hands bracing himself on either side of my head. Noah's head dips down to meet my parted lips as a strangled whimper falls from my mouth.